Railway-switch mechanism



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. T. MCGARRY RAILWAY SWITCH MECHANISMA Filed Jan. 11 1928 May 27, 1930.

IG J9 *INI/ENTOR) Q. W. mz, ATTORNEY,

Maly 27, 1930. J. T. Mmmm 1,760,846

RAILWAY swiTcH MEHANIsM Y Filed jan, 11 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ffQ-Z Mw.

. B Y (L. M

ATTORNEY.

May 27, 1930. J. T. MCGARRY 1,760,846

RAILWAY SWITCH MEQHANISM A Filed Jan. =l1 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

BY amm,

A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES measles PATENT Price JOHN T. MCGARRY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN VAI-VE AND METER COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO I i RAILWAY-SWITCH MECHANISM Applieation meaaanuary 11, 192s.

My invention relates to improvements in railway switch stand mechanism. One of its objects is to provide improved switch stand mechanism operable automatically to indicate from its appearance whether or not the switch stand is operatively connected to the switch rails. Another object is to provide improved switch stand mechanism adapted to indicate automatically whether or not the switch connecting rod is operatively connected to the switch stand. Another object is to provide improved breakable crank switch stand mechanism adapted to automatically indicate by its appearance whether or not the crank is whole and operative and adapted to act-nate the switch rails. My invention also comprises certain details of form and arrangement and ycombination of components, all of which will be fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan lview of a switch stand mechanism embodying Vmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a switch stand illustrating a modification.

Fig. t is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a switch stand illustrating another modification.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

In the operation of trains, particularly in freight yards where the switch engines are frequently moving forward and backward over the main and side tracks and through a large number of switches `it frequently happens that one or more of the switch stands becomes disconnected from the switch rails it is intended to actuate, through one or other of a variety of causes, such for` instance as the connecting rod between the switch rails and switch stand being fractured, the bolt between the connecting-rod and crank being fractured or detached, or the crank of the switch stand being fractured. Under such circumstances heretofore the signal staff continues to display the signals indicating a particular position of the switch, which may or Serial No. 246,019.

may not be true, since the switchl lever may have been thrown since the fracture without having thrown the switch, and this failure may have been overlooked by the switohman, or an engine or train may have run through the switch so as to throw the switch and break either the crank or the connecting rod, and this condition overlooked, so that the next train relying upon the signaldisplayed would be led to pass or enter the switch and be thrown from the track, due to the switch rails not being inthe position indicated by the signals displayed by the switch. Generically my invention comprisesincorporating with the switch mechanism means which is operable automatically ,and adapted to indicate immediately to the engineer, trackman or switchman approaching the switch stand that through fracture or otherwise the connecting rod and crank are no longer operatively connected or adapted to reliably function, and that. the signal displayed may not be relied upon. Y

The means or apparatus for laccomplishing this result may be variously modified, and while I'have illustrated :several'modiii cations, still others may be employed within the general lscope of my invention. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the switch stand casingl-is adapted to be mounted on switch stand ties 16at one side of a pair A-of switch rails 17 and main track rails 18. A vertical crank shaft 19 is j ournaled in bearings in the casing `15. A. crank .2O is attached to the lower end of the crank shaft kbelow the casing 15, while the upper end of the shaft 15 terminates inside `of the casing 15. The crank shown in Figs. 1 and 2 isof the type known as a breakable crank, that is it has a point 22 of minimum cross-section or strength at which the crank will be fractured in the event of a train accidentally running through the switch in preference to fractur. ing some less readily replacable member of the stand or switch. Also thecrank if desired may be'double, that is, have two crank arms in` alignment upon opposite sides of the crank shaft, sothat the switch stand may be set up and connected right hand or left i hand as may be desired, alsoso that if one crank is fractured, the crankor stand may be reversed and the other made use of until the crank can be replaced.

rEhe crank shaft 19 is provided with a gear segment 23 which is engaged by a pinion 24 mounted upon a shaft 25 journaled"v to the casing`15, and actuated by a switch stand lever 26, which causes the pinion 24- to rock nectin' rod together beine# fractured or outr D o t:

of place, the signaldisplayed upon the shaft 19 may be misleading and continue to Vbe a source of danger vuntil-the break is -discov-4 ered through a detailed inspection of theV switch. In order to remedy this condition, as illustrated in Figsl and 2, YIprovide a signalA shaft or sta' 27 which is journaled in a sleeve 28, which sleeve 28 is locatedoutsid'e' of the casing 15 and at one side thereofl and is mounted pivotallyl upon a horizontal pin 29 and between two ears or lugs 30 which project'from the casingV 15 and serve Vto support the pin 29 and sleeve 28. The sleeve 28 is adapted to rock on the pin 29 from a vertical position to a position inclined at Substanz-f tially forty-five degrees to the vertical. Further inclination is prevented by a stop lug 31 carried by the sleeve 28 engaging the eziterior of the casing 15. A collar' 32 is mounted rigidly upon the signal shaft 27 above the sleeve 28 and is provided with two crank arms 33 and 34 in alignment and provided with upwardly projecting'studs or pins 35 and 36. A sleeve 37 is mounted rigidly uponl thecrank shaft 19 and isprovided with two crank arms 38 and 39 in alignment and pro"-` vided with studs or. pins 40 and 41. StrutsV or thrust rods 42 and 43 are pivotally'mount* ed upon'the pins 40 and 41 respectively, and

their opposite ends are forked to' engage-the pins 35 and 36 respectively. A collar 44 rigidly mounted upon the shaft 27 below the sleeve 28, has an arm 45 the free end of which g is supported in ahorizontal recess or channel 72 carried by a rectangular split sleeve 46 which encircles and is clamped rigidly upon the connecting rod 47. The arm 45k engages the channel 72 of the sleeve 46 and servesV to hold theshaft 27 in a vertical Yposition so long as the connecting. rod 1s 1n operative position with referenceto the crank arm 20,

'and to thereby hold the studs 35 and 36 in operative relation to the forkedends of the struts 42 and 43, so that when the crank shaft 19 is rocked to throw the switch the free end of the crank arin 45 will move with sleeve 46 and continue to engage channel 72 and the cranks 38 and 39 will also be rocked, and will in turnr rock theVA cranks 33 and 34 and thereby rock the shaft 27 in" itsbearings to shift the signal targcts-73 and signal lamp 74 carried bythe shaft 27 to indicate the position of the switch.

t will be noted that' as the crank shaft 19 and crank 29 are rocked from the position shown in Fig. 1 one-fourth of a revolution ofthe shaft 19E to a position to close the switch, the crank arms 38 and 39 are rocked a quarter of a-revolution, also the crankarnis 3 3 and 34, the shaft 427, and the crankarin 45 are rocked one-quarter of a revolution in thev same direction as the crank 20, and that the end of the connecting rod connected' to the, crank 20 moves endwise and also transversely of the connecting rodv so that! the sleeve 46 on the connecting rod describes the arc of a circle which is substantially coinci# dent withthat described by the end of the cra-nk arm 45, when the shaft 27 lis in a ver-1 tical position, and hence the end of crank arm 45 will retain its position in engagement with both upper and lower faces of the channel 72 of the sleeve 46 and continue to engage said channel so long as the connecting rod is held inits proper placethrough being operatively connected at one endto the crank 2O and at its opposite end to the Aswitch rails and that the crank arm 45 will in turn hold the shaft 27 in a vertical operativepos'ition and' its studs 35 and 36 engaged with the forked ends of the thrust rods 42 and 43;-

In the event, howeventhat the connecting rod 47 or the crank 20 becomes fractured or the bolt 70 holding them, together becomes displaced, so as to allow the connecting rod 47 todrop away fromthe crank 20, orto be otherwise displaced, the channel 72 will noA longer engage and support the free end of the crank ar1ni45 and hence the sleeve 28 and shaft 27, together with the target and signal lamp will be tiltedby gravity to a position substantially forty-five degrees from a vertical position, and thereby make it evident to any trackman, switchman o r engineer that that particular switch was in an inoperative condition and required repairsbefore it would be safe to'pass it. The signal shaft may be arranged totilt in kany desired directionv from the casing 15, depending upon the space available or other limiting conditions of its location'and use.

In the modification Figs. 3 and 4, the switch stand structure, connectingrod, crank shaft and switch lever are the same as here# tofore Vdescribed for Figs. 1 andv 2. 1li-The crank shaft 50, corresponding to the crank shaft 19 of Figs. 1 and 2,' is extended above the casing 15 and the signal targets 8O and ff signal lamp 81 are mounted upon the upper end of the crank shaft 50. A crank shaft 51 is journaled near opposite ends in bearings 7 6 in the housing 15. The middle or crank portion of the crank shaft 51 is inclined and bearsby gravity upon the under face of the connecting rod 52. Shields or blades 53 and 54 are rigidly attached to the ends of the crank shaft 51 outside of the casing 15. The shields 58 and 54 are normally held in an inclined position out of alignment with the signal targets 80 and signal lamp 81 by reason of the crank riding upon the under face of the connecting rod. In the event,

however, that the connecting rod or crank should be fractured or disconnected, the connecting rod would drop downwardly resting its weight upon the crank portion of the crank shaft 51, and thus cause the crank shaft to rock automatically by gravity action of the connecting rod upon the crank shaft 51 until the crank shaft 51 and shields 58 and 54 assumed a vertical position so as to obscure the signal targets and signal lamp from view of a person approaching along the track substantially as indicated in dotted line in Fig. 4, and thereby serve notice to trackmen, switchmen and engineers that the switch was inoperative and should not be passed until after it had been repaired.

In the modication shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the switch structure is the same as shown and described for Figs. 1 and 2, except that a shaft 58 corresponding to the shaft 27 of Figs. 1 and 2 is journaled in a sleeve 59 corresponding to the sleeve 28 of Figs. 1 and 2. The signal targets 85 and signal lamp 86 are mounted upon the upper end of the shaft 58, and the shaft 58 is normally held in a vertical position when the connecting rod is attached to the crank in operative position by means substantially the same as described for Figs. 1 and 2, and to be shifted automatically to an inclined position in the event of the connecting rod becoming fractured or detached from the crank or the crank fractured. In Figs.

5 and 6, instead of a stop lug to limit the degrec of inclination of the shaft 58, a short chain 60 is attached at one end to a pin 88 on trie casing 15, and at its opposite end to a stud 62 attached to a crank arm 89 on a sleeve 90 mounted on the shaft 58 in such position as to limit the degree of inclination of the shaft 58, and further to cause the shaft 58 to make a. partial rotation in its bearing sleeve 59 so as to cause the shaft 58 to assume an intermediate position where both the red target and green target partially show at the same time, and so that the red and green light also partially show at the same time substantially as indicated in dotted line in Fig. 6 and thereby warn the switchman and engineer approaching along the track that the switch is inoperative and requires to be repaired before passing the same. The partial rotation of the shaft 50 is due to the location ofthe stud 62 and crank arm 89 upon the shaft 58 midway of the eXtreme operative positions of the shaft 58, and action of strain of the chain 60 on the stud 62 and rshaft 58 when the limits of the inclinationk of shaft 58 is reached. Modifications other than those specifiedv may be employed to attain the same result of warning the operators in time that the switch has been rendered inoperative.

The apparatus herein shown and described is capable of considerable modification withinthe scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. Switch mechanism comprising lswitch rails, a connecting rod, a crank shafthaving a crank operatively connected to Vone end of said connecting ro'd and adapted when rocked to throw said switch rails from one position to anotherposition, signal targets and a signal lamp mounted to rock in unison with the movements of said crank shaft and to thereby indicate at a distance the position ofl the switch rails, and tiltable means actuatedV by an abnormal displacement of one of the crank, a connecting rod operatively connect- Y ing said crank to said 'switch rails, a switch lever adapted to be manually `*operated to rock said crank shaft and shift said switch rails from one operative position to another, signal membersadaptedto be rocked in unison with the movements of said crank shaft, and automatically tiltable means normally held in one position when the switch rails are operatively connected to the crank shaft and automatically movable to another :position when the switch rails become disconnected from the crank shaft to alter the nature of the signal displayed and to thereby indicate that the switch is in an inoperative condition.

8. A switch mechanism comprising switch rails movable from one position to another, a switch stand provided with manually o-perable switch rail actuating `mechanism and with signal mechanism operable'in unison' with the switch rail actuating mechanism to indicate the position of the switch rails, and tiltable means normally in engagement with the switch rail actuating mechanism and thereby held in position to indicate that the switch rail actuating mechanism is in opera-` tive condition, said tiltable means being automatically disengaged from the switch rail actuating mechanism whenever said switch rail actuating mechanism is rendered inoperative and said tiltable means thereby movable to a position to indicate that the switch rail aptuating mechanism `isin inoperative condition. Y

` 4. A switch mechanismfcomprising switch rails movable from one position to another,

a switch stand provided with manually operahle switch rail actuating mechanism and with signal mechanism operable in unison with the switch rail actuating mechanism to indicate the position yof the switch rails, a' tiltable member upon which said signal mechanism is mounted normally inengagement with and held in one position by the switch rail actuating mechanism when said switch rail actuating mechanism is in an operative conditiomand automatically movable to a different position carrying with i-t said signal mechanism whenever disengaged from said switch raill actuating mechanism through said switch rail actuating mechanism being rendered inoperative to thereby modify the signal displayed and indicate that the switch rail actuating mechanism is in an inoperative condition. o

5. A switch mechanism comprising switch rails movable from one position to another, a switch stand provided with manually op'- erable switch rail actuating mechanism and with signal mechanism operable in unison with the switch rail actuating mechanism toV indicate4 the position of the switch rails', 'a movably mounted member normally in engagement with said switch rail actuating mechanism and serving bylits normal position to indicate that the switch rail actuating mechanism is operatively connected to the switch rails, and automatically movable when disengaged from said switch rail ac-V tuating mechanism to a diierent position to indicate that the switch rail actuating mecha-l nism is not operatively connected t0 the switch rails.

ln testimony whereof I have affixed my signature. Y

- JOHN T. MOGA-RRY. 

